"Doctor!"

Alison banged on the door, frantically rattling the silver handle to get out. Hours had passed, a war raged on beyond the door, and still he did not return. She was trapped in a box and her world was ending. The walls did not block out the screams and every so often explosions would rattle the infinite room until she was lying on the floor.

She had never felt terror like this before, had never known that it could be so powerful. It was like she was being pulled apart, alone and forgotten, and the worst part-The worst part was that deep down she never felt more alive. The world was ending and she felt alive.

"Doctor, please!" she yelled. "Come back. Let me out."

There was no answer to her calls. Nothing but the sounds of war. There was a sonic blast, a sound like a mournful trumpet, and she felt heat spread up along the door. Her heart was in her throat and she retreated, backing away to the hub. Something terrible had happened. She could feel it in her gut.

Turning Alison addressed the TARDIS's controls, looking for a way to activate the screens. A box that could travel through time, she told herself, had to at least be able to see what was on the outside. The Doctor's warning not to touch anything sat at the back of her mind, but he had been gone too long now. She grasped a lever shaped like a car shift and pushed it up, mimicking the motions he had gone through previously. Another switch, a button, and a lever were activated and she ran to the opposite side, turning three knobs four ticks to the right.

Something was activated, hopefully one of the monitors, and she brought around a screen, powering it on. The screen remained blank for a beat and then two before an image started fading into focus. She held her breath, unsure of what she was seeing.

The image portrayed something that looked like it came from a Sci-fi film; an alien world with a red sky and blackened structures. It wasn't until the screen came into full focus did she realize that what she was staring at was her world. It was a view of the reflecting pool and at the far end, rising beaten and battered, was the Washington Monument. Smoke curled along the apocalyptic landscape and massive forms knotted with muscle marched along the paths. There was no sign of any human life, just desolation and the conquering aliens.

"No." whispered Alison. "No it's not possible."

Tears sprung to her eyes. It had only been a few hours. The military would have fought back, they would have defend their capitol, but then she saw the military. Their vehicles and weapons were thrown into a pile in front of the Lincoln Memorial where several alien guards kept watch. Beside them were statues, hundreds of statues of men and women dressed in military clothing. America's defence had been turned to stone.

Quickly Alison switched the image off and folded herself over the hub. She couldn't breathe; tremors wracking her frame and making her sick. Her world was gone. Where was the hope in that? Something had happened when the Doctor had left, something that he could not stop. He had needed help, she was sure of that, but there was no one there.

"What do I do?" she moaned through her tears. "What do I do?"

How could things get better if she couldn't change what happened? Alison stopped then, staring at the controls in front of her. She was standing in the middle of the one thing that could save her. She needed to change the past and the TARDIS was going to do just that.

Alison sniffed and straightened, wiping at the tears streaming down her face. Staring up at the crystal chamber, she placed a hand on its cool sides.

"We have to go back." she told the hub, feeling ridiculous for talking to an inanimate object. "Something went wrong and-and we need to fix it. Come on, you're a time machine."

She ducked her head, taking in shuddering breaths as she tried to calm her racing heart.

"I know you're listening-I know you're alive, because I felt you breathing all those years ago. Do you remember that? A ten year old girl found you in the woods and you found me. So let's work together now. Let's find the Doctor...Please."

Nothing happened and she drew away, disappointment weighing down on her. It was no use. She was talking to thin air. Only the Doctor could control the TARDIS and he was gone.

About to turn away, Alison heard the subtle clicking of gears and looked to see a lever shifting down. The room jolted forward and she fell against the hub as a knob turned and the lights began blinking. The crystals in the chamber began to move, rising and lowering with the breathing wheeze that had followed her all her life. She held on, leaning back with the rocking room, and slowly a smile returned to her face.

This was really happening. They were really traveling through time and at that moment she couldn't help thinking about Uncle Canton. If only he could see her now, traveling in the blue box called the TARDIS.

The crystals slowed and she was jostled forward as the box came to rest. Sending a silent thank you to the hub, Alison ran for the door and tried to open it. The handle still would not budge and she let her head thud onto its wood. She had travelled in a time machine and still she was unable to get out. A quiet wheeze behind her reminded Alison that she was not alone and she glanced back to the hub.

"I don't suppose you could open the door for me?"

She heard the lock's tumblers roll and click and she tried the door again. It opened without any further delay and she pushed out into the open, blinking in a bright sunlight.

The world as she knew it had returned and with it the invading spaceships. On the far side of the park she could see the retreating back of the Doctor, having left moments before. Above the multitude of black spheres had moved to converge over the centre of DC where she could hear faint screams and laser blasts. Three military helicopters soared overhead, accompanied by several jets that screamed through the sky. Their resulting wind buffeted her and she stepped back with a gasp, somewhat shaken by her travels. The TARDIS had done it.

Turning, Alison closed the door and pressed a hand to the aged wood.

"I'll bring him back for you." she said. "I promise."

A thrill ran through her like a shock of energy and she left, running to find the Doctor. Alison stuck to the cover of the trees, dodging between their perfectly placed trunks to keep out of sight. The Doctor was long gone by the time she reached the end of the reflecting pool and there wasn't even a glimpse of his large chin. She paused, coming up to the lawn surrounding the Washington Monument. Like everywhere else it was deserted at first glance. The platform still stood at the monument's base and now it contained several pieces of sound equipment wrapped in tarps.

The Doctor was nowhere to be seen and she almost stepped out from her cover for a closer look when a small aircraft circled above. It was pointed and gleamed like a black mirror, a menacing figure that tested her resolve to stay. The alien craft came to land on the far side of the monument and a group of ten of the beastly creatures disembarked.

They were a sight like no other, reaching well over six feet in height with muscular shoulders that carried intimidating weapons. All of them were male, their large heads carrying thick manes of hair tied back in ponytails and twisting horns sticking out on top of their skulls. Multi nostril noses pierced with studs flared and flat lips snarled in response to the orders of their leader. Their skin was like granite, but they moved with surprising agility, popping from one area to the next.

Alison watched them with bated breath as they convened on the towering monument, attaching strange devices to its base. After a moment it occurred to her that perhaps they weren't as fast as she had first thought. No, their swift movements of popping from place to place was due to the tiny instruments strapped to their armoured chests. With a wave of a hand over a circular gem they would wink out of existence only to reappear several feet away.

Two of the aliens began making their way down to where she hid, patrolling the area for any unwanted company. Catching sight of them, Alison quickly backed away to the deserted road and turned to search for a way to escape. Her first thought was to scale the tree branches and hide, but something told her it would not fool the creatures for long. She scanned the empty street until her gaze alighted on a black jaguar ten yards away, the vehicle rammed between two trees where it had swerved off in a panic. It was her best shot.

The aliens were close now, close enough that she could hear their bizarre, gargled speech. Surprisingly she could understand it, a revelation she did not dwell long on. Alison ducked around a tree and hopped a short wall separating her from the road. She didn't waste time looking back, sprinting to the jaguar and sliding into the driver's open door. The car was empty, its owner no doubt cowering with the rest of the city, but the keys were still in the ignition.

Dirt sprayed up around her and a heavy branch landed not far away under the rapid fire of laser beams. They had spotted her. Alison slammed the door shut, simultaneously turning the key and starting the motor. It purred to life and she shifted the clutch into reverse, stomping on the gas. The wheels squealed in protest as she rounded onto the road and faced the oncoming aliens attacking her. The right side mirror was knocked off and the roof sung with heat from another close shot.

Shoving the clutch into gear, she killed the motor and cursed. A stick shift was never her forte in driving which was why she tried to avoid it when she could.

Keeping her eyes on the road, Alison fumbled with the keys and restarted the car. She retried the manoeuvre with the clutch and shot forward amidst the laser burst, breaking through the line of aliens that had gathered. She crowed in disbelief, checking her rear view mirror and watching the aliens shrink behind her. It was strange. They weren't even attempting to chase her. Maybe they figured it was only a matter of time before she ended up in the centre of the city.

She heard the rushing sound of a flying aircraft and glanced up through the jaguar's sun roof. The ship she had seen land in front of the monument was now hovering above her speeding car. No, they were not letting her get away that easily. Another curse flew from her lips and she gritted her teeth, forcing the shift into second gear and picking up speed.

Rushing down the street, Alison took a swift turn onto a nearby lawn that cut away towards the museums. The aircraft followed, firing on the speeding vehicle as it cleared a short ridge and flew through the air. Alison's knuckles were white on the steering wheel and she screamed, forcing herself not to close her eyes. The car landed, skidding and rounding to the side until it was parallel to the lawn she had just left. Catching her breath, she peered out the window and swallowed.

A second aircraft had joined the chase and just below it she could see three motorcycle like vehicles racing across the lawn. All of them were equipped with weapons and all of them opened fire on her. Only the distance kept her from being hit, the aliens furious enough not to take aim.

"What the hell did I get myself into?" she murmured, shifting gears and taking off.